Council decides on how it will spend funding on domestic abuse support
Wiltshire Council has confirmed how it will spend more than £1.7m of Government funding to support victims of domestic abuse and their families.
Wiltshire Council has confirmed how it will spend more than £1.7m of Government funding to support victims of domestic abuse and their families.
The funding comes from the Government's Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to help local authorities fulfil their statutory duty to provide support to victims of domestic abuse and their families. The funding is part of a £257m Government fund to be paid to local authorities from 2023 to 2025.
Using the criteria set by Government, the council has developed how the money will be spent based on local needs, in line with its Wiltshire Domestic Abuse Strategy. The money will be spent on a range of support, including:
- resettlement workers
- children's workers to provide support to children who have witnessed domestic abuse
- domestic abuse safety advisor
- flats and properties from Julian House to provide additional safe accommodation for both male and female victims and their families who are fleeing domestic abuse
- family drug and alcohol workers to support people who are impacted by substance use and domestic abuse
- training to improve the understanding of gypsy, roma, traveller cultures
- target hardening to enhance the safety of victims choosing to stay in their own homes
- community connectors to support victims to rebuild their lives after abuse
- trilogy of risk psychologist to support people who are impacted by domestic abuse, substance use and mental health
Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling, Cabinet Member for Public Health, said: "This additional Government funding will be vital to supporting people who suffer from domestic abuse, as well as investing in work to help prevent this devastating behaviour from happening in the first place.
"Our focus is to enhance and strengthen the offer of the existing contracts we have in place, ensuring we can do even more to help those who need it as quickly as possible. We work with a range of specialist providers who are experts in their field, and we're pleased to be able to give them the opportunities and tools to expand their work.
"An aim in our business plan is for Wiltshire to be a place we are safe, and the staff and work we're investing in will make a big difference."
Almost £849,000 has been allocated to be spent in 2023/24 and more than £865k in 2024/25. Wiltshire Council agreed how the money will be spent at its cabinet meeting on 12 September. More information can be found at Cabinet agenda - 12 September 2023 (opens new window).